Immigration

March 02, 2015

As I wrote in January, I'm spending the next year working on my Masters in a brand-new journalism program. During the program, I'll be working on a reporting project, and I've decided to focus on undocumented Latin American immigrants living in the United States.

For the project, I'll be doing original reporting, which you'll be able to follow on the project's Medium. I published my first story last night. For this story, I interviewed immigrants who commented on Obama's immigration town hall last week on Twitter. I put together a Storify of some of the most interesting questions and comments, and then I reached out to many of those people to do interviews. The stories I heard were quite diverse: from a Uruguayan high school kid in Georgia worried about his undocumented parents to a Venezuelan who actually has a green card but is fighting deportation due to a decade-old misdemeanor conviction.

One of the people I spoke to was a Venezuelan immigrant in Florida who became a U.S. citizen and and then got started on legalizing her Brazilian husband's status. Two days after she sent in the paperwork, her husband Marcos was in a car accident and was taken into immigration detention after police called ICE. He was deported last month to São Paulo.

I couldn't fit all the details in the story, which I wrote for my reporting class and was supposed to only be 700 words. So here's another extra tidbit. The woman, named Maria Martinez, actually had her question about her husband asked during the town hall, since the host took questions from Twitter. Obama then responded to her.

Maria told me that she sent a video of Obama's response to her husband on Whatsapp, since she was so excited that the president found out about their case. Her husband responded: "Tudo vai dar certo." Her 10-year-old son also saw Obama's response, and asked: "Does this mean Marcos can come back?"

December 04, 2014

In an unprecedented move, São Paulo's mayor announced today that immigrants will be eligible and encouraged to apply for Bolsa Família, a Brazilian cash transfer program that began in 2003. Though earlier iterations of this welfare program existed previously, Bolsa Família is credited with helping to lift millions of Brazilians out of poverty over the last decade.

O Globo reports that up to 50,000 people could benefit from the new eligibility. São Paulo is home to at least 360,000 immigrants, though officials estimate that the total number including the undocumented could be as high as a million. Haitians and Bolivians are expected to be the largest number of beneficiaries.

To be eligible, immigrants must bring proof of registering as an immigrant or of asking for asylum, as well as a CPF, akin to a social security number. Like Brazilians, immigrants must make less than R$140 ($54) per person a month, and must keep kids in school and get them regular vaccinations. By signing up with the government's central registration system, immigrants will also be eligible for other government programs, like the housing program Minha Casa, Minha Vida.

"It's not charity; it's in the city's interest that these immigrants develop and produce to make São Paulo grow. And that's why it's necessary to give them the minimal conditions [to make that happen]," the city's human rights secretary told the media. The idea is also to prevent vulnerable immigrants living in extreme poverty from resorting to modern-day slavery conditions.

Though it's the first time there's been a concerted effort to give immigrants this benefit, foreigners have received Bolsa Familia in the past and have technically always been eligible under Brazilian law. According to Estado de São Paulo, over 6,000 immigrants were recipients in 2009, though the majority of those beneficiaries lived on or near Brazil's borders.

The move couldn't stand in starker contrast to what's happening in the United States, where Congress voted today to block the president's executive action on immigration. And even Obama's immigration announcement, considered extreme by some on the right, includes nothing about welfare or government financial support for immigrants.

May 24, 2013

The [U.S.] House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday approved a 2014 Homeland Security funding bill with a bipartisan voice vote. The bill is expected on the House floor in June. In a surprise development, the committee approved an amendment from Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), which would effectively end immigration from Brazil.
The provision was included in order to pressure Brazil to extradite Brazilian-born Claudia Hoerig to the United States for trial in the murder of her husband, Air Force Major Karl Hoerig. The Ryan amendment does not affect travel visas or visas for temporary workers, an aide said.

If passed, the amendment would defund USCIS operations that involve processing immigration applications from Brazilian nationals.

It's important to note: Brazil's Constitution prohibits extradition of Brazilians. Plus, it's complicated: Hoerig renounced her Brazilian citizenship when she became a U.S. citizen in 1999, but Brazil's Ministry of Justice never finished processing her paperwork to terminate her citizenship. Since Brazil still considers her a citizen, it won't extradite her, but the U.S. also considers her a citizen.

While it seems unlikely that something this ridiculous could pass, stranger things have happened, and this Congress doesn't exactly have a great track record. It's especially scary because it got tacked on as an amendment and could easily get lost in the fray.

I agree that impunity is a serious problem, and I think others would too. But this is also a sign of how far from reality some members of Congress are in terms of comprehending Brazil's importance to the United States. Brazil and the U.S. may have disagreements when it comes to binational legal disputes like this (see: Goldman case), but this is not something you do to a serious ally. You don't punish people who aren't to blame for the problem.

UPDATE, 6/9: Good news - the House eliminated the language on banning Brazilian immigration from the bill on June 5.

March 17, 2013

Reflecting a number of changing realities in Brazil, one of the country's largest newspapers is looking to expand readership of its international section, with Brazilian news stories translated into English and Spanish. Increasingly, more and more Brazilian news is appearing in the international media, along with new English-language Brazil news sources. With the economy humming along--if not growing at previous rates--and large numbers of skilled jobs that need filling, Spanish and Portuguese professionals are flocking to Brazil. María Martín is the embodiment of these trends. Born in Alicante, this Spanish journalist now works as an editor at Folha Internacional, which was launched in July 2011. She moved to São Paulo from Madrid just a year ago, and chooses, translates, and edits web content for Folha Internacional. With native English and Spanish speakers on staff, Folha aims to reach an international audience interested in what's happening in Brazil. I asked María about Folha Internacional via email, along with her move to Brazil.

You've worked as a journalist in Spain. What brought you to Brazil?

Since I graduated five years ago, I have practiced journalism. I was trained at El País newspaper and I got hooked on the profession. Unfortunately, the situation in Spain is not conducive to most people's professional expectations right now, and in this business, much less. Why Brazil? For some time, the news about the “economic giant of Latin America” reached Europe and I was interested in coming here, but I had no idea how I was going to make a living. It was tough: I did not speak a word of Portuguese and I didn't know anything about the culture. But I've always had the support of my sister, who I live with, and Brazilians are very welcoming.

Who is the intended readership for Folha International? Is all of the content translated from Portuguese, or do you have original pieces written specifically for Folha Internacional?

Our audience is the reader anywhere in the world with any interest in Brazil. Each day, we select the most important or interesting issues published by the newspaper and offer their translations for free. We still do not have articles written specifically for Folha Internacional, but it is an option that we haven't ruled out.

What's Folha's goal in launching these two sites?

The goal is not to limit, as a matter of language, the content of Folha, the most influential newspaper in Brazil. In general, sporting events, the economy, culture, and football are catching everyone's eye. Although the international media is responsible for informing their readers, Folha has more structure that allows it to publish great scoops, and has local journalists covering the information. The subjects are also chosen taking the reader into consideration, and edited for some specific references that can be understood by anyone who does not know the local terminology.

What advantages does Folha have over other English-language news sources that cover Brazil?

The foreign correspondent always has a different view than the local media and one that is more interesting to his readers--that is undeniable--but his infrastructure is limited: only one person covering a country of 190 million people. Folha is the largest newspaper in Brazil and covers many topics exclusively and invests a lot of work in original approaches. Also, the Folha Internacional site has free and unlimited access, while the most other online content out there is under a paywall system.

May 30, 2012

Despite the fact that U.S. immigration reform is seemingly becoming more of an uphill battle in an increasingly polarized country, support for the DREAM Act--a law which would give immigrants brought to the United States in their youth a path to residency--is on the rise. Though the DREAM Act bill was narrowly defeated in the Senate in December 2010, it was reintroduced last year, and immigration reform advocates still hold out hope that it could pass.

I've written about several Brazilians at the heart of the DREAM Act, including Felipe Matos, one of the United States' top immigration reform activists, and Polyana de Oliveira, a Brazilian who moved back to her country of birth after running out of time for the DREAM Act to pass. But what I recently discovered is that the very person who inspired the DREAM Act is in fact Brazilian by birth.

Senator Rick Durbin of Illinois was one of the senators who wrote and introduced the DREAM Act back in 2001, inspired by Tereza Lee. Tereza was born in São Paulo to Korean parents, and lived in Brazil until she was 2, when the family moved to Chicago. Lee became a talented pianist and was accepted into some of the top music schools in the country. But since she was undocumented, she was ineligible for financial aid. One of her music teachers decided to search for a solution, and called Durbin's office to see if he could help. Soon, the DREAM Act was born.

Part of the reason it took so long for the bill to be considered in Congress was that it was due to be discussed on September 12, 2001; Tereza herself was supposed to fly to Washington for the hearing. Fortunately, Tereza was lucky. She had the fortune to be able to study at the Manhattan School of Music, where she is currently pursuing a doctorate. Now age 29, she married an American and gained residency. But she's still a vocal part of the DREAM Act movement, advocating for others like her.

I spoke to Tereza briefly about her family's journey from Korea to Brazil to the U.S., as well as her role in immigration reform.

What brought your parents to Brazil? What brought them later to the United States?

My parents had lost everything--their belongings, homes, and land--during the Korean War and subsequent struggles. They became part of a massive wave of Korean immigration to North and South America. They first moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where I was born, and started a small clothing business. Although they were, initially, relatively successful, they decided to move to the U.S. to start over again after almost all of their savings was stolen via identity theft. My mother sold her wedding ring in order to buy visas and plane tickets for us, and we moved to Chicago when I was two.

Once you became a resident, where was the first place you traveled abroad? Have you been back to Brazil or to Korea?

I've not been back to Brazil, and have unfortunately never been to Korea, but I have been able to visit Germany, France, Italy, and Japan.

Before I even boarded an airplane, though, I really experienced a feeling of vertigo when I received my permanent resident document which allowed me to travel. Although I was, of course, beyond thrilled to finally have documentation, and be one step closer to American citizenship, at the same time it struck me as incredibly bizarre and unsettling that this small, flimsy piece of paper could have such power over my life.

What's your involvement like with the DREAM movement at present?

I am constantly trying to keep up to date on all the latest news on the DREAM Act. I stay in touch with other DREAMers as much as I can, and have become friends with many of them. I also volunteer occasionally at rallies and events--there are so many here in New York.

Do you think the DREAM Act has a chance of passing anytime in the near future?

Absolutely! Both houses of Congress voted to pass the DREAM Act in 2010, and with only a few more votes to override a filibuster in the Senate, it would have been made law then. I'm no expert on politics, but I know the upcoming election will be very significant for the DREAM Act. On the other hand, my guess is that it's not likely to happen before the election.

What advice would you give to other DREAMers?

Stay positive, both in your own lives and in your communications with others. Being caught between the cracks of the immigration system for years can be enormously frustrating and debilitating, and many DREAMers I've talked to have battled severe depression. I also know, though, that DREAMers know how to survive amid great obstacles and constant fear, and it never ceases to amaze me how many DREAMers have persevered and become valedictorians, star athletes, and leaders in their communities. When we bring our message to the public, anger won't work. We need to focus on the benefits that America will receive from allowing all of these talented people to contribute, and then, once the DREAM Act passes, go out and prove it!

January 26, 2012

Brazilians living abroad are returning to Brazil in record numbers, in part because of Brazil's strong economy, and in part because of a lack of jobs in Europe and the U.S. Some are seeking entreprenurial opportunities, or taking advantage of Brazil's growing tech space. In this series, I'll interview Brazilians who were living abroad and decided to return home. If you or someone you know would be interested in being profiled in this series, email me at riogringaconsult at gmail dot com.

So far, the Brazilians I've spoken to have returned to be closer to their families and also for jobs. They're thrilled to be back at home and have found great opportunities, though many complained about high prices and adjusting to life back in Brazil.

***

Andrea N. lived in New York for ten years, after moving there in 2001. She married her American boyfriend in 2002, and lived in Prospect Heights and the Upper West Side. She had a variety of interesting jobs, from interning at a TV production company, to waitressing, to working as a movie extra, to freelance translating and editing, to doing narration work in English and Portuguese, and working as a production assistant at the TV & Media Department at the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo. After her job at the zoo, she worked at Columbia University for seven years, working as a development coordinator for Global Initiatives in the fundraising department. While working at Columbia, she also took several elective courses, including Spanish and news writing.

But in the end, she decided to move back to her hometown of Santos, in São Paulo, since her parents were getting older and had health problems. Her parents are better now, but she's happy to be closer to them. She moved with her husband and dog last October, and is currently doing freelance translation, editing, and narration work, as well as teaching English. She loves being near the beach, where she walks her dog every day, and being with family and friends. She also enjoys the weather and eating healthier, since she no longer eats processed food and eats lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. But the move wasn't easy; it was an expensive and bureaucratic process, and she had to bring her dog in the cargo compartment since she's so large, and she sent her belongings in shipping containers. She noticed a change in Brazil since she's been back. "The US has been having such tough times, economically and politically, and though it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how, there’s a pervasive sense that we should be doing much better. In Brazil, where the economy is strong, the middle class is growing, and poverty is on the decline, there’s just a much more optimistic mood in the air," she said.

***

Cássia Martins is a Carioca who worked in finance in the U.S. and returned to Rio de Janeiro to follow her dreams as a writer. Born in Petrópolis, she moved to the U.S. when she was a teenager. She got her B.A. in Economics from Boston University, and worked in business for five years before getting her MBA at the University of Pennsylvania. She lived in a number of cities, including Boston, Chicago, Stamford, Philadelphia, Boca Raton, and Miami. After finishing her graduate degree, she decided to return to her hometown of Rio de Janeiro. She spent a year in Brazil, where she wrote her first book, called Born in Rio. After that, she decided to move back to Miami, so she could be closer to her family and promote her book.

But living in Rio was an inspiration. "Besides writing a story about a woman’s quest to uncover her roots, I was really aiming at capturing the culture and energy of Brazil as the plot unfolds," she said. "The beauty and nature of Brazil never seizes to dazzle me, people are friendly, and the Rio lifestyle is a very easy going one." She said that she enjoyed the emphasis on relationships she found in Rio, as opposed to a focus on work and business back in the U.S. "In the U.S. the first question people usually ask me when they first meet me is 'Where do you work? What did you study?' In Brazil I would often hear 'Where is your boyfriend? How come you are not married?'" she told me. Though she worried about safety and high prices in Rio, one of the other interesting things about going home was seeing the changes taking in place in the city; she says she hears more English in Rio than in Miami, and that she met many foreigners in Brazil for work, not for tourism.

***

Adriana R. is one of the trailblazers. She lived in the U.S. for four years, spending a year as an exchange student in San Angelo, Texas, and another three years in Ithaca, New York studying hotel management and working at a hotel. Thirteen years ago, she decided to return to Brazil to be closer to family and friends. Now, she owns her own ecotourism agency, which specializes in trips to Fernando de Noronha, for foreigners who don't speak Portuguese. She loves being close to her loved ones, though she also had a hard time adjusting to "bureaucracy, inefficiency, lack of respect for consumers, slow pace of our law system, and higher prices now that the economy is booming." She commented on some of the challenges she's faced: "It just feels more difficult. Everything here takes longer. It is not always nicer or better, in fact, most of the time, it is just of lower quality and when not, it is extremely expensive. Everything is just so bureaucratic, and therefore we need paperwork for everything."

***

Tatiana Perreira lived in Japan for 12 years, and also spent 3 months in Perth, Australia. After she graduated from high school in Brazil, she wanted to be closer to her mother, who moved to Japan after getting divorced. Once she got to Japan, Tatiana started working at a car parts factory, and spent five years working at factories, like many Brazilians do in Japan. She returned to Brazil for a year in 2003, to visit family, study English, and buy a house with her mom. She went back to Japan in 2004, working at factories and saving money. She managed to save enough to study in Australia, which she loved. "Living in Australia was for few years a dream, until I dated an Australian guy who broke my heart so I never really felt like going back there anymore - I still think it's a great country, though," she said. She then returned to Japan, working at factories until 2007, which she got a job as a telemarketer at an international phone company, where she worked for four years.

Her definitive move back to Brazil came for a few reasons. Her sister was getting married, and she and her mom wanted to go to the wedding. She also missed her family and friends, after being away from them for eight years. While she and her mom were planning their return, the 2011 earthquake hit Fukushima. Even though it was 300 kilometers away, her mother felt it and was "freaked out." Tatiana moved back in April 2011, helping her sister plan her wedding. She then went to San Francisco to meet her American boyfriend's family; they'd been dating in Japan, since he's in the military and was stationed in Okinawa. They just recently got married in South Carolina, and are planning a wedding ceremony in Brazil after he gets back from a second deployment in Afghanistan for 7 months. After he finishes his service next year, they may go to the US, or her husband may move to Brazil, where he'd like to start a business.

In Brazil, Tatiana had a hard time finding a job, since she doesn't have a college degree. She started teaching English, and discovered that she really enjoyed it, despite the meager salary. She also dreams of going back to school. She loves being close to her family, which is "priceless," and also feeling at home. "Being able to speak my own language and express myself anytime, anywhere and everywhere I want makes a difference," she said. She doesn't speak fluent Japanese, so she sometimes had a hard time in Japan. She also didn't like the health care system in Japan, and now feels more secure about medical issues in Brazil. She's still getting used to São Paulo, especially the traffic. Even though she's happy back in Brazil, she misses life in Japan. "I could go anywhere easily by train, bus or even by bike. I used to have money to buy whatever I wanted: clothes, shoes, make up, travel -- I've been to 10 countries," she explained. She had friends from all over the world, and admits she was well known in the "Tokyo party community." In Brazil, she has to take precautions with things like jewelry and cell phones because of security. She also finds that everything is much more expensive, since the prices are higher and she's making less money than she did in Japan, even from when she worked at the factories. Still, she says, it's the first time in her life she's had a job she likes, where she's happy to wake up to go to work in the morning.

***

Valerie R. lived in Astoria, New York for ten years, the heart of the New York Brazilian community. She worked as a secretary, and went to Parsons to study interior design. She dated a Brazilian, who she lived with for nine years. After her boyfriend finished college, he decided to return to Brazil, and she also went, a year later. She's been back in São Paulo for a year and a half, working as an executive assistant to an executive at an American company. She was happy to see her family, though she misses New York. "I still haven't gotten used to it here; sometimes I still can't believe I'm back," she said. She also tends to compare the two cities a lot. But her professional life in São Paulo is better than it was in New York, and she sees her family all the time.

***

Julie, a Paulista, lived in Saint Louis, Missouri for six months. She had grown tired of her life and job at home, and decided to quit her job and sell her car to move to the U.S. She wanted to learn English, and picked Missouri because she thought there wouldn't be any Brazilians, so she'd be forced to learn English faster. But she ended up finding Brazilians, making friends with one who'd lived there for a decade. She studied at the University of Missoui, learning English as a second language and meeting people from all over the world. She also worked as a nanny, which she enjoyed to be able to work with kids and learn about American family life. She decided to move back to Brazil since she was on a student visa, and she didn't want to overstay and live undocumented after she finished her program. She returned to Brazil a little over a year ago, and now works at ABB, an international technology company, as an import/export analyst. She's also had a bit of trouble adapting, having to start over and "familiarize herself with disorganization." In São Paulo, she works a lot, and she misses having time to travel and have free time like she did while she was studying abroad.

***

Aline T. lived in Sacramento, California for almost seven years. She worked as an au pair, and then went back to school. She lived with the same host family the whole time she was in the U.S.After she graduated, she had trouble finding a job during the economic crisis and didn't want to babysit, and decided to move back home. She had other friends who had returned home from living abroad and were doing well, so she was more confident about her decision. Now, she's been back for a year and a half. She's finishing her BA, since she had a hard time validating her American college degree. Now that she's back in Brazil, she's had an easier time finding a job because of her fluent English, and has been able to work at several large companies.

Aline likes being closer to her family, and also the "sense of belonging" she gets from voting, paying taxes, and contributing to her retirement account. "Before I was just living in the U.S., but I was not an American," she said. The hardest part about coming back was adapting to a different way of life; she had lived in the suburbs in California, and went back to the city of São Paulo, where she hasn't gotten used to the traffic, the crowds, or the jeitinho. Now that she's working and studying, she has more responsibilities. "Now I can start thinking about buying a car, saving for a house and retirement; before I just needed to save for my next trip or gadget," she explained. She's also excited about Brazil's growing role. "Because of the World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016, there are some great expectations in the country and it has been nice to experience all these changes that it is happening now in the country," she said.

January 23, 2012

Since I last wrote about visas in December, things are changing. On the U.S. side, the pro-tourism lobby had some success with pushing for changes to increase the number of Brazilian tourists. In Brazil, immigration changes are reportedly on the way, as the government seeks to increase professional immigrants, particularly from Europe, and cut down on the number of undocumented immigrants from Haiti and South Asia.

Last Thursday, President Obama announced a number of changes to U.S. tourist visa policy, specifically to benefit high-spending Brazilian and Chinese tourists. Here are the changes that pertain to Brazilians:

Increase non-immigrant visas in Brazil by 40% this year. That includes the plan already in place to add 50 consular employees in Brazil in 2012, and to emit 1.8 million tourist visas in 2013.

Speed up the amount of time visa applicants wait for an interview. In Brazil, the goal is to interview 80% of non-immigrant visa applicants within 3 weeks of their application.

In what is perhaps the biggest change for Brazilians, the State Department will implement a pilot program that will waive the required interview for "low-risk" non-immigrant visa applicants, including "younger or older first-time applicants," and those renewing expired visas. The program is expected to affect tens of thousands of Brazilians and to open up more spots for visa interviewees.

Consider nominating Brazil to participate in the Visa Waiver Program. This talk has been going on for quite awhile, but now it seems to be getting a little more traction. In order to be considered for the program, Brazil must have a visa rejection rate of 3 percent or less; it's currently 5 percent. Though this will be a lengthy process, the same tourist lobby is pushing hard for the government to really consider Brazil for the visa waiver program.

In Brazil, it is immigration visa policy that's come to the fore. After an increasing amount of Haitians arriving in the Amazon (and even immigrants from the Middle East and South Asia) and a spate of media coverage, the Brazilian government announced that it would close its borders to undocumented migrants. It had been giving out visas and work authorization to the several thousand Haitian migrants that arrived in Acre state. In doing so, it also announced a limited legal immigration program for Haitians, in which the Brazilian consulate in Port-au-Prince will issue 100 visas a month.

The other big news is about proposed changes for skilled professionals looking to move to Brazil. The federal government is putting together a commission to study new visa policies that would benefit foreign professionals, particularly Spaniards and Portuguese, who represent the highest number of skilled professionals moving to Brazil. With the crisis in Europe and Brazil's economy still humming along, the government increased the number of work authorizations by at least 32 percent last year, from January to September, issuing nearly 51,400 work visas. The commission will explore ways to simplify and speed up the visa process, in a bid not only to fill the gap of skilled professionals in the Brazilian workforce, but also, according to Globo, attempt a "new cycle of European immigration to Brazil." Not only is the current process difficult and bureaucratic, but it's also very slow, so often immigrants or temporary workers will simply enter on a tourist visa while they await their papers. As Greg Michener points out, for some there are even more hurdles after getting work papers: validating college degrees, or in his case, his Ph.D, are very painful processes. In short, the changes to help facilitate immigration for skilled professionals have yet to come, but the topic is now on the government's agenda.